Syria Redux

            He flinched.  After all the bravado, after all the promises to punish the iniquitous poisoner of children, the president flinched.  Scoffed at by the international community and abandoned by his staunchest ally, Barack Obama looked over his shoulder and found that his leadership had no followers.  A risible caricature of weakness in the eyes of the world, he now appeals to Congress for an affirmation he knows will never come.  This emperor truly has no clothes.

            The president could have gone right ahead and launched missiles on his own authority.  He didn't seek Congressional approval for bombing Libya, and no one would have been surprised had he once again invoked his executive authority to bomb Syria.  He had drawn the red line, and Assad crossed it repeatedly.  It was time to punish the ogre.
            There was just one little problem: the president had failed to define his strategic objective.  The president repeatedly assured the world that his action was not aimed at a regime change or degrading Syrian military assets.  The punishment would be limited and would not last long.  But, punishment in the form of pin pricks is not a strategic objective in the context of national security.  Is it any wonder the president persuaded no one to go along with his pusillanimous leadership.
            It will be interesting to see if Obama decides to save face by attacking Syria without Congressional approval.  At a meet-and-greet of the Perquimans County Republican Party with Congressman Walter Jones on August 28, the word "impeachment" came up a couple of times.  Jones himself said he would be the first to submit a resolution in the House of Representatives for the impeachment of the president if he goes against Congress on Syria.  The House is not likely to vote for Impeachment at this time, and if it did, no conviction could be obtained in a Senate dominated by Democrats.   But if Obama continues to rule like a tyrant, the move for impeachment is likely to gain supporters.
            President Obama has lost the support of his beloved international community.  How much longer can he count on his fawning fans to put up with his failed leadership?